Last year when
I wrote about Fostoria's public school system, I was reminded of the
higher educational institutions that once were here, and about which
many local and area readers are unaware.

Before, and at
the turn of the century, Fostoria had outstripped neighboring towns
in educational facilities, and it is the story about the start, the
progress and fall of those schools that I write today.

As I put together
this story, I considered the importance of colleges to a community.
Had Fostoria's survived, it would be of great value for our young people
today and for the city in general.

CIVIL WAR KILLED
FIRST SCHOOL

Prior to the Civil
War, Rev. William A. Turner, minister of the First Presbyterian Church
conducted a "Select" school for boys of high school age. When the Civil
War occurred Turner enlisted, as did most of the boys in his school.
Turner survived the war but did not return to the church, so the school
did not reopen. A group of Fostoria businessmen immediately set to work
to see what they could do to get a school of higher learning for this
community.

N.W. NORMAL SCHOOL

At that time,
1870, the Northwestern Normal and Training School was in operation at
Republic, Ohio. Historical records are not specific, but apparently
the local businessmen who were behind the movement to establish a school
here convinved authorities of the school at Republic to move to Fostoria.

In 1874, according
to data in The History of Seneca County, N.W. Normal moved to Fostoria.
J.F. Richard who was principal of the school while at Republic, along
with one or two teachers also continued their association.

Just where the
school was conducted, the records do not indicate...perhaps in the Union
School building located on North Main at Fremont streets, or on the
upper floors of a business block on Main Street. It may have been in
the building on the southwest corner of Main and North because when
I was a boy I remember the sign painted on the North Street side of
that building, reading FOSTORIA BUSINESS COLLEGE.

508 ENROLLED

According to a
catalog of the school published in 1875, progress had been made and
the school had grown to the extent that in addition to the N.W. Normal
and Training School, it also had a branch called the Fostoria business
College. The combined institutions had a staff of 14 people to manage
and instruct the 508 students enrolled. According to the catalog (copy
on file at Kaubisch Library) students came from all over Ohio, also
Kentucky, Pennsylvania, California, Kansas and Michigan.

According to historical
records, due to financial mismanagement the school failed...perhaps
late in 1875.

Immediately, an
association was formed for establishing another school. On November
6, 1875, articles of incorporation were signed by a group of men consisting
of Michael Beilger, A.J. Longfellow, Fred Manecke, J.L. Kenower, J.A.
Bradner, John E. Wilkison, Amos S. Williams, Leigh Harbaugh.

Apparently, between
Nov. 1875 and July 1876 this group of men wrestled with the problem
of how to get the necessary money to establish the new school. Evidently
they had information and a good reason, because in July 1876, an expanded
group of citizens petitioned the Findlay Conference of the United Brethern
Church to establish a school here. The group of citizens consisted of:
Isaac Crouse, J.S. Overholt, John A. Bradner, Thorton D. Ingle, Joseph
Stouffer, C. Olmsted, W.J. Rigby, Roswell Crocker, O.J. DeWolfe, Junius
V. Jones, Isaac Warner, Jesse Bower, Charles Foster, L.J. Hissong, C.W.
Foster, J.W. Bricker, M.D.

FOSTORIA ACADEMY

September of 1876,
the Sandusky Conference of the United Brethern Church granted the petition,
with the agreement that the people of Fostoria would raise funds to
purchase land and erect buildings.

Twenty-two thousand
dollars was raised by Fostorians for building. Four acres of land was
donated by Charles Foster for the site. And so the program for teh new
school of higher learning...to become known as The Fostoria Academy...was
on its way.

Historical records
indicate that Foster also built the two dormitories on the land and
initially rented them to the school. foster's plan was apparently to
later donate the dormitor buildings to the school, but the records do
not definitely so state.

The cornerstone
of the new academy was laid August 14, 1879. It was located on the land
donated by Foster...to become known as College Square...and at the end
of the street to be named College Ave.

The first principal
of the new academy was Professor W.T. Jackson. Upon his resignation
in 1884, several others followed him in filling that position.

The academy was
an important factor in the intellectual and moral uplift of Fostoria,
stated an early report.

FAILED AND REORGANIZED

Just how long
the academy continued operating successfully the records do not show,
but eventually it became evident tha the students low tuition fees,
coupled with the small amount the United Brethren Church had raised
to support it were not sufficient and it was forced to close. A catalog
published by the academy at its inception show term rates, including
board and tuition, with room in Gentlemen's Hall $38 to $41. Same in
Ladies Hall $42.

The catalog advertised
the academy as..."A Christian Institution of Learning. ..Experienced
Instructors...Preparing for the Sophmore Year of the Best Ohio College".
It offered courses for teaching, ancient and modern languages, science,
commercial, instrmental and voice music, penmanship.

Records at my
disposal do not indicate, but eventually Professor W.E. Ashcraft of
Indiana and a group of associates, purchased the property and reopened
it, naming it Ohio Normal College.

With the new leadership
the school prospered and grew. A catalog published by Ohio Normal College
in 1903 showed an enrollment of over 500 in the various courses consisting
of preparatory, teachers, scientific, psycholoy and pedagogy, music,
commercial, shorthand and typewriting.

Students were
enrolled from all over Ohio as well as 16 other states and Canada.

DESTROYED BY FIRE

In 1904, a fire
caused by an overheated furnace burned the Ohio Normal College to the
ground, and it was never rebuilt. The only remains to remind Fostorians
of the college is the women's dormitory, which was remodeled into apartments,
and still stands on Foster street.

The residence
of Professor W.E. Ashcraft still stands on West Fremont Street. It is
the large brick property on the south side of the street, west of Vine,
near the old water tower.

All Fostorians,
but particularly those living in the west part of town will be interested
in the accompanying surveyor's sketch, showing the College Park area
and the adjacent streets. The star in the park area shows the approximate
location of the building which was originally the Academy and later
Ohio Normal College.

The extension
of College Avenue came about after the school burned down and was later
demolished. Lunt, Foster and Adams streets in the west part of Fostoria
were named after persons who owned land in that area during the early
days...Charles W. Foster, Laura Foster, Phila Lunt and Jonathon Adams.

The land in that
area, 169 area, had earlier been purchased by John Gorsuch, and deeded
to him im papers from the U.S. Land Office and signed by President Andrew
Jacson.